The Raven (closed)

[KieranSoares]

Boar's trembling arms wrapped her up in a much-needed embrace and he let his head rest against her own, whispering in her ear, "Gods, I never thought I'd make it back..."

Durban looked his younger brother up and down, but said nothing. He left the two alone for now.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We have to leave, Boar." Emma murmured against his ear. "It's too dangerous for us to stay here any longer. I think Durban knows."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No, love... we have t'come clean..." Boar pulled her back into her room, closing the door behind them. "I went t'Wick... O'Hennessey listened t'me only long enough t'surround me. Then 'e said 'e'd make sure t'use my betrayal t'hurt Brogan, but 'e'd kill me anyway... I barely got out o' there, love, an' I almost didn't make it through th' army outside Inverness. Now O'Hennessey's gonna tell Brogan. If we don't come clean first, we 'aven't got a chance at all. If we tell th'truth... I'm sure 'e'd spare you. Jus'... let me take th'blame. I'll tell 'im y'had nothin' t'do with it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They'll kill you." Emma said softly, pulling away to look at Boar. "I'm not letting them take you away like that. Boar, we have to leave here. Listen to me. We have to leave now."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's a little late fer tha', Emma," Durban's growl came as he opened the door, and he fixed his brother and sister-in-law with a dark glare. "Brogan knows it was you two."

"Don' you dare touch her," Boar snarled back at his brother even though Emma could see he was terrified. Durban and Boar were equally muscled, but Durban was much taller and had an immense store of hidden strength, not to mention a much greater skill in battle. Boar couldn't hope to win if he had to fight Durban for Emma's safety but he was going to try anyway.

"You two're at Julia's mercy, much as I think y'should be thrown in prison fer th'rest o' yer lives fer nearly killin' yer own damn family an' tryin' t'take the throne fer yerselves. Now get out 'ere, or I'll bloody drag you out t'her."

Boar reached back, taking Emma's hand. She could feel him trembling, but his grip was sure. He'd keep her safe.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma actually jumped as Durban came into the room again, a look of murder on his face. He would kill her if he got closer, she thought to herself. Boar snarled at him, pulling her back so that his brother couldn't get near. She wanted to retort something about listening at doors, but the grip her husband had on her hand made her be quiet in that moment.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Get out here," Durban snapped, and Boar pulled Emma even closer. His arm wrapped around her and Durban followed after them as they came out to the great hall to face Julia, who'd just come from Brogan's side and looked exhausted but steadfast with Cole beside her. Durban came to her side to tell her all he'd heard, confirming everything about Emma and Boar.

 

[heartofcourage]

Boar's arm around her waist grew tighter as Durban snapped at the both of them, her body pressing even tighter to her husband's side. She could tell that he was nervous, but they had no idea what awaited them as they were brought in front of Julia.

“Since you have admitted to the most heinous of acts, I don’t think I have any choice but to punish you both.” Julia said, folding her hands together in front of her. “Since there is a child in this situation that we must think about, the punishment will not include death. But mark my words, it will not be easy.”

She glanced towards Cole at that moment, catching his eyes and nodding a moment before she turned back towards the two seated before her. “Since you cannot be trusted by yourselves for the time being, Inverlochly is lost to you. I will place it in Durban’s care until such a time that we deem it fit to give back. You will stay here in Inverness, under arrest, living in Ciaran’s old home.”

“Boar, you will work every single day until your child is born in the lumber camp. Emma, you may not set foot off the property until that day either. When the child is born, Brogan will then decide your fate.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yer a saint, Julia..." Boar murmured.

"Damn right she is. Now get th'hell out," Durban grunted. A few men led by Cole took them across town after they'd gathered their things, and there would be a constant watch from then on to make sure that Emma and Boar did as they were told. They would only be allowed to leave for buying food and if Julia allowed it until Brogan was on his feet again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Everything happened in a whirlwind until Emma was standing in the unfamiliar surroundings of their prison. She simply stood there, looking around the space with a little bit of a lost expression on her face. Her hand rested on her swollen belly as she tried to process what had happened. Boar had been saved, but he would experience back breaking labor. She had been spared, but she couldn't step foot outside of the house. What kind of life would that be?

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar stood beside his wife feeling just as lost. Besides his hard labor, he'd probably get plenty of pushing around, even violence from the lumberjacks. But he felt a bit of relief, looking to Emma. At least she was safe, and Cole and his men were not the sort to harm or let harm come to a lady, much less one carrying a child. He reached out to take her hand. "... It's gonna be alright, love... I promise."

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma pulled her hand from her husband's, looking at him with a venomous and wounded glance. She couldn't even form the words that she wanted to say right then and there. Instead, she stormed from his side into the bedroom, slamming and locking the door before her.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Em..." Boar pleaded softly, but he didn't stop her as she stalked away. He simply resigned to being alone and he sat down with his head in his hands. "Gods, I'm a bloody fool..." he murmured. He didn't bother his wife until much later in the evening, when she began to smell something cooking and she heard his boots thudding dully outside the door.

"Emma, love... I made dinner..." He spoke softly through the door.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma woke as she heard Boar's voice through the door, telling her that he had made dinner. She wasn't sure when she had fallen asleep, but it was startling to wake up in an unfamiliar place. Then reality sank in and she remembered how she had ended up there.

"Go away, Boar." She called out, pulling the thick blanket further up her shoulders.

 

[KieranSoares]

"A' least come out an' eat, love... I won't bother you after tha'," Boar tried to reason with her. "I'm so sorry fer all o' this, Em... I really am..."

 

[heartofcourage]

It was a few moments later that Emma unlocked the door, opening it to stand there and stare at her husband. She was still upset, but she wouldn't listen to him blaming himself over what had happened.

"You would never have done any of this if I hadn't pushed you to do so. Never think for a moment that any of this is your fault, Lynndon." Emma said softly, her blue eyes lowering to look down towards the ground.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It doesn't matter," Boar took her hand and lifted her chin. "We'll make it, love... It'll be 'ard an' it'll take some time... But we'll make it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Boar...I think you need to divorce me." She said softly as he brought her blue eyes to meet his own. "And then beg your family for forgiveness. I can move back to my little cabin on the loch. Without me around, they'll forgive you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No," Boar told her firmly. "You're my lass an' you're my responsibility. To hell with their approval." He was such a family man that even he was shocked by his own words, but he stood by them wholeheartedly."

 

[heartofcourage]

"No, Boar." Emma said, shaking her head as he declared that he would give them up for her.

She felt tears prick her eyes and soon she was sobbing in his arms, her cheek pressed tightly against his chest. No man had ever declared something like that for her. She had wished to hear those words her entire life and it seemed that she had finally found the man that loved her no matter what.

"I'm so sorry, Boar." She murmured, her fingers clenching his tunic tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ye've got no reason t'say yer sorry t'me," Boar assured her. "I don't want anythin' from ya, except t'be with ya... I swear I'll give ya th'best I can without risking our lives anymore. Y'may no' be a queen t'the world... but y'are to me."

 

[heartofcourage]

She was sniffling as the tears finally stopped and she pulled back to look at her husband, his fingers drying her cheeks as she leaned in to kiss him gently. She knew that they were in this together and they were in for a fight to survive. She would make sure that this was as easy as it could be.

"We're in this together." She said softly, holding her husband tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Always," Boar nodded resolutely, even though the hard days ahead did seem rather daunting. He'd make it as long as she was there to come home to.

The first days of work weren't so bad, until Boar really got into the heavy lifting and he'd sometimes come home with aching muscles that made it hard to sleep. The head lumberman wasn't going easy on him at all since he'd learned why Boar was there, but at least the headman wasn't trying to kill him. Boar took on his tasks with silence and never a complaint, not even when the other lumberjacks would beat him down verbally, even occasionally physically with a fight or extra work.

 

[heartofcourage]

Emma felt incredibly guilty each night that Boar came home with aching muscles or a black eye. She did her best to make him comfortable, always ensuring that dinner was on the table and massaging him before they went to bed.

One rare evening when he didn't work, she found herself curled up against his side, sitting in silence as the fire burned before them. His large hand was resting on her belly, ensuring that the child inside was quiet and resting.

"I got a letter from my brother today." Emma said softly, surprising him as she never talked about her family.

 

[KieranSoares]

Boar let his head rest against her own. "Mhm. What'd 'e say?" He asked softly. He'd never heard her hardly mention her family before. He knew who her father was, but only because his mother and father had once dealt with the crooked man.